MUNFORD — It was a night for big plays and big numbers at Holcombe Field in Munford Friday night, with the hometown Munford Lions and the Holtville Bulldogs scoring a combined total of 97 points for the evening in what may have been the last game played at Holcombe Field. The Lions are hoping their new stadium will be ready in time for the next home game.

But they’re hoping for more than that — they’re ready to win.

In spite of scoring 41 points, Munford came out on the short end of things, with Region rival Holtville scoring 56.

“I had a terrible game plan going in, and that was evident,” said Lions head coach Will Wagnon, in his first season at Munford.

“The kids never quit. They didn’t do anything but fight their tails off. Our goals are still intact, but this was a setback.”

Holtville scored on the first play of the game, an 85-yard run by Jaquille Ellis. Munford tied the game at 7-7 when Bradley Heard scored on a 37-yard run. Holtville scored two more touchdowns in the first quarter to lead 21-7, and by halftime led 42-21.

Munford outscored Holtville two touchdowns to one in the third quarter, and cut the Bulldogs’ lead to one touchdown late in the fourth quarter, 49-41. The Lions switched to an air attack in the final quarter, completing 11 of 19 passes in an effort to control the clock and make quick yardage.

Hopes ended when Holtville’s Robert Thrasher picked up a Munford fumble with :41 left in the game.

Holtville tallied 487 rushing yards in the game, 361 of them in the first half.

Ellis scored four touchdowns for Holtville on runs of 85, 15, 11 and 43 yards. He had 198 yards for the game.

Patrick Reed scored twice for Holtville, on runs of 62 and 67 yards. He had 157 yards for the night.

John Lowe scored on a 47 yard run and had 130 yards.

Munford had 157 rushing yards for the game. Quarterback Deonta Allen led the Lions’ rushing with 69 yards.

Munford completed 16 of 38 passes for 172 yards with two interceptions thrown. Jonathon Parker and Bradley Heard had 49 yards each.

Rounding out scoring for Munford:

•Allen passed to Monteo Garrett to score on a 10-yard play in the second quarter

•Heard scored on a 1-yard play to score with 1:01 left in the first half

•Kyle Franklin ran back a kickoff return for 85 yards to score in the third quarter

•Heard went over the top to score with three minutes left in the third quarter

•Allen passed to Garrett for 10 yards to score with 2:32 left in the game

•Anthony Tisdale kicked six out of seven points-after-touchdowns from Jeffrey Parnell’s hold.

Tisdale intercepted a Holtville pass in the first quarter, and Parnell intercepted one in the third quarter.

Munford is now 0-2 on the season, 0-1 in the Region. The Lions travel to Elmore County next week for another Region game.

Holtville is 1-1 on the season. The Bulldogs host Lincoln next week.